Penn State is moving into Week 2 with a few key injury situations worth watching, and Matt Campbell made it clear Tuesday that the Nittany Lions may get some help back soon.
At Beaver Stadium, Campbell said defensive tackles Armstrong Nnodim and Alijah Carnell, along with offensive lineman Owen Aliciene, are all questionable for Temple after sitting out Saturday. None of the three is dealing with a major injury, and all practiced Tuesday. Aliciene had been in the mix for a starting job at left tackle, while Nnodim had been viewed as one of the more important pieces on the defensive line.
“We would love to have those guys back ready to go for us this week,” Campbell said.
Campbell also offered a more encouraging update on Gabe Burkle and Alex Tatsch. Both had been doubtful before Marshall and did not play, but Campbell said they’re expected to be available this week after not quite getting enough live work in practice.
“Both guys I thought were really close to playing and just didn’t feel like it was the right decision to do that,” Campbell said. “They needed more contact collision in practice, but both guys will certainly be available this week.”
There was also clarification on LaVar Arrington II. After his absence had been discussed earlier in the week, Campbell confirmed the issue is longer term. Arrington II had cleanup surgery on his knee and is expected to miss four to six weeks.
On the field, Penn State’s run game didn’t give the offense much to lean on in the opener. The Nittany Lions averaged only 3.6 yards per carry, even though Campbell had spent the summer talking about a backfield deep enough to rotate four players comfortably.
Campbell said the defense likely came in with loaded boxes early, which in turn helped open things up through the air. Penn State did, in fact, lean on the passing game and finished with 324 yards through the air.
Still, Campbell didn’t frame the ground-game issues as a running back problem. He pointed to the offense as a whole and the blocking that never quite settled in.
“That’s certainly not to say we can’t be cleaner or need to be cleaner in the run game,” Campbell said. “I thought there were times we fell off blocks.”
He added that the team will need more steadiness there as the season moves forward: “consistency there is going to be a huge improvement for us as we continue to move forward.”
Campbell also found a lot to like in the way Penn State pieced the game together on special teams, defense and offense. One sequence in particular stood out to him: Nathan Tiyce pinned Marshall at the one-yard line, the defense held the Thundering Herd to six rushing yards, and freshman Bryson Williams came up with the game’s only interception.
“I think those things are what great football teams have the ability to do,” Campbell said. “The ability to play good complementary football throughout the game I thought was really huge for us.”
That kind of back-and-forth production showed up throughout the game, with the defense stacking three-and-outs and the offense cashing in on the other side.
Looking ahead to Temple at Lincoln Financial Field, Campbell said he spoke Sunday with his former college roommate Nick Sirianni about what it’s like to coach in the Eagles’ home stadium. Sirianni has been the Eagles’ head coach since 2021 and has already won a Super Bowl there.
“Nick has been a great sounding board,” Campbell said. “We’ve gone through some of the same journeys as head football coaches, good moments and tough moments.”
Campbell also called it “a great opportunity when you get to bring a football team to play in a professional stadium.”
And with a noon kickoff and a road trip to open the week, he said Penn State has a chance to show it can handle that kind of setting.
“You're already kind of behind schedule playing a noon game, let alone on top of that having to get yourself ready for your first road trip as a team and as a program,” Campbell said. “I think this is going to be huge for us.
And great teams play great on the road. That's just how it goes.”
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Temple Heads To Penn State With One Problem Fans Will Notice
Temples trip to Penn State comes with a little more uncertainty than a normal September road test, starting up front where the Owls are already shorthanded. KC Keeler confirmed that starting left tackle Giakoby Hills will be out for six weeks, a significant blow to an offensive line that has to deal with one of the bigger fronts on the schedule.
The injury picture does not stop there, either. Starting tackle Kevin Terry and left guard Eric King are both game-time decisions, which leaves Temple waiting to see how much of its protection plan will be available by kickoff. The quarterback situation is still unsettled as well, with the Owls choosing between Jaxon Smolik and Ajani Sheppard for the starting job, adding another layer of uncertainty to a matchup that already looks demanding. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Just Put Its Recruiting Board On Notice
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Among the names in attendance were 5-star cornerback Nasir Richardson from the 2028 class and 4-star edge rusher DJ Dockery from the 2029 class, both the kind of young blue-chippers Penn State wants to keep circling. The staff also added to the board by extending an offer to 3-star defensive lineman McCoy Richardson, a prospect viewed as a possible flip from Wake Forest, leaving the rest of that recruiting picture to keep developing after the visit. [Read more 🡒]
DAnton Lynn Just Raised A Big Penn State Defense Question
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Lynn also signaled that the scheme itself is going to keep evolving, with the staff planning to add complexity gradually rather than overload the group early. With Temple next on the road, he emphasized communication and preparation as the big keys, which leaves an obvious question hanging over the defense: how quickly can a young corner and a growing playbook handle the next test? [Read more 🡒]